The Falklands belong to Argentina even a three-year-old knows that: Argentina president Cristina Kirchner provokes Britain with latest tweet

‘The Falklands belong to Argentina – even a three-year-old knows that’: Argentina president Cristina Kirchner provokes Britain with latest tweetShe claimed that a child would find British ownership 'unsustainable'Kirchner also suggested that 'the world' wanted dialogue between countries99.8% of islanders recently voted that they wished to remain British territoryBut Kirchner has refused to accept vote that was discussed by UN this weekArgentine officials demanded talks with UK on sovereignty of islands

By
Mario Ledwith

PUBLISHED:

19:18 GMT, 28 March 2013

|

UPDATED:

20:54 GMT, 28 March 2013

Cristina Kirchner attempted to inflame relations with the UK once again by claiming that a three-year-old child would find Britain's ownership of the islands 'unsustainable'

Argentine president Cristina Kirchner has attempted to inflame relations with the UK once again by claiming that a three-year-old child would find Britain's ownership of the Falklands 'unsustainable'.

The 60-year-old took to Twitter to launch her latest attack in a bid to reclaim the South Atlantic islands.

In a provocative post, Mrs Kirchner wrote: ‘An English territory more than 12,000 kilometres away The question is unsustainable, even for three-year old children.'

She also claimed that 'the world' is encouraging talks between the two nations regarding the future of the islands.

Tensions between the Argentine and British governments grew last year as the 30th anniversary of the war for control of the South Atlantic islands approached.

In a recent referendum, all but three of the 1,517 islanders who voted said they wanted to remain an ‘overseas territory of the United Kingdom’.

But in another confrontational outburst, Mrs Kirchner refused to accept the referendum results and suggested that the islanders' were akin to squatters seeking to remain in a building.

She claimed: ‘It’s like a consortium of squatters voting on whether they’re going to continue illegally occupying a building or not. The result was a foregone conclusion.’

A Latin American delegation led by
Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman met UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon in New York earlier this week, demanding talks with Britain on
the sovereignty of the Falklands.

Meeting: Mrs Kirchner meeting newly elected Argentine Pope Francis, who she suggested should intervene to encourage dialogue between Argentina and Britain

The referendum results were passed to the UN in New York last week, with Britain’s UN ambassador Mark Lyall Grant saying it is ‘untenable’ for Argentina to reject the islanders 99.8% vote.

No talks: David Cameron has refused to engage in dialogue with Argentina over the islands' future

Mike Summers, a member of the Falkland Islands Assembly, said: 'The referendum result makes it clear that we have no desire to be governed by Argentina.

'Continued harassment of our economic development and intimidation of those who want to do business with us and invest in the Islands will not change this fact.'

‘The more Argentina presses our small community, the harder will be our resolve.'

In spite of the islanders' decision and David Cameron's reluctance to engage with the Argentine Government, Kirchner has continued to seek discussions.

Many believe that potential for offshore drilling rights is a key factor in the renewed political tussling regarding the islands.

Kirchner has even sought to involve the newly-elected Pope Francis.

In an address following the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires's election, she said: '(We hope) that (his mission) takes the message to the major powers in the world to participate in dialogue… that the great powers in the world, who have arms and financial power, can be convinced to finally heed the emerging countries and that they commit to a dialogue of civilisations where things are resolved by diplomatic channels rather than by force.'